An appropriate pharmaceutical carrier system is generally a requirement for the safe and effective delivery of a pharmaceutical active. The entire pharmaceutical composition, i.e. the pharmaceutical drug active formulated in a pharmaceutical carrier, can affect the bioavailability and also the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of the active. It is therefore important that a pharmaceutical composition be carefully developed and manufactured to deliver the desired pharmaceutical active in a safe and effective manner.
The delivery of antimicrobial agents for treating microbial infections can present special challenges. To provide therapeutic efficacy, it is generally desired that the antimicrobial agent be administered to the patient to achieve systemic concentrations in the bloodstream or target organs above a minimum inhibitory concentration (i.e. the MIC) and for a sufficient time against the particular microbial organism or organisms being targeted. Consequently, an antimicrobial agent that otherwise exhibits an effective antimicrobial profile in vitro can be ineffective, or even harmful, unless properly formulated for in vivo administration.
Therefore, the development and manufacture of suitable pharmaceutical carrier systems and pharmaceutical compositions for the safe and effective delivery of pharmaceutical drug actives, in particular of antimicrobial agents, are important and ongoing needs. The present invention will be seen to meet these and other needs.